Recent advances in carbon-based materials for electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction

The increase of atmospheric CO₂ concentration has caused many environmental issues. Electrochemical CO₂ reduction reaction (CO₂RR) has been considered as a promising strategy to mitigate these challenges. The electrocatalysts with a low overpotential, high Faradaic efficiency, and excellent selectivity are of great significance for the CO₂RR. Carbon-based materials including metal-free carbon catalysts and metal-based carbon catalysts have shown great potential in the CO₂RR, owing to the tailorable porous structures, abundant natural resources, resistance to acids and bases, high-temperature stability, and environmental friendliness. In this review, various carbon materials including graphene, carbon nanotubes, quantum dots, porous carbon, and MOF-derived catalysts, etc., for the CO₂RR have been summarized. Particularly, recent progress in terms of the mechanism and pathway of CO₂ conversion has been comprehensively reviewed. Finally, the opportunities and challenges of carbon-based electrocatalysts for the CO₂RR are proposed.